Friday, December 19, 2008

In the Intellectual Devotional by David S Kidder & Noah D Oppenheim we are given a lot of food for thought. One thing they say is that Music has a pattern where noise only has sound. I’m afraid that could define Heavy Metal for me. Noise, loud and busy that has no rhyme or reason for being. Sorry Heavy Metal fans, it just doesn’t translate for me.

Kidder and Oppenheim say the basics of music compared to noise have to do with Pitch —How high or low a sound is to the ear; Scale—a stepwise arrangement of pitches; Key—which is an arrangement or system of pitches usually based on one of the major or minor scales.

Simple isn’t it? The Ghost Music of Vaudeville as a mystery has a similar basic set up. Pitch: how intense (high) or relaxed (low) the actionScale: an arrangement of pitches that take us from each paragraph with a beginning, middle and end, to each chapter with its beginning, middle and end; to the book as a whole with a beginning, middle and end. Key: That is a little harder, but I think of it as all the system of pitches – the paragraph, page, chapter, and book according to one of the Major (genre) or Minor (sub-genre) scales –genre and sub-genres of the mystery from cozy, procedural, true crime, or hard boiled.

Therefore, everything in writing the mystery can be reduced or elevated to its musical counter part. Our culture influences our pitch, scale, and keys whether that is in writing or in music. Extremes may abound even while the rules are followed. For instance music in India compared to the music here in the west such as opera, or rock. Or compare the Native American Drum, to the drum of modern rock – they are nowhere in the same playing field – the Native American Drum is spiritual, the rock drum is entertainment. Both, however, are entertainment and in some circles could be called something spiritual.

Music and writing are both creative processes. Whether we use pitch, scale, and key or whether we use some other method to join the parts into a complete whole – they compliment each other, and I believe they embody each other.

It is said that we each “march to our different drummer,” and I believe that is as true in creating fiction as it is in creating music.

5: She can't connect with a new sweater like she can with a book.4: Hey guys, they're easy to wrap!3: They come in all sizes, shapes and colors--what could be easier?2: It's cheaper than a romantic getaway but can produce the same result.1: Books are gifts of love and joy--and can create everlasting memories.

Top Five Reasons Why Girls Should Give Books as Gifts:

5: They're easy to store--on coffeetables, bookshelves, nightstands or countertops.4: They never go bad no matter how long they're stored--and they can be used quickly or savored over time.3: Books can teach, educate, entertain--and distract him from football.2: It's a small investment that can return dividends for life.1: Books are the perfect gift of enjoyment that don't require him to leave his chair.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Well, I sent Bette Midler off the book she is in Ghost Music of Vaudeville. It should have reached her December 1, her birthday. How cool is that! Only problem is, she took yesterday off from her appearance in Ceasar’s Palace Las Vegas -= *sigh * to celebrate her birthday,which probably means it’ll get lost in the avalanche of birthday well wishes.

It’s hard to believe she is sixty three years young. She is so energetic and looks so good. You could say money bought that for her, but I doubt it. I think it is how she chooses to live her life. She lives full of the enjoyment of every moment. She has won so many many awards. “You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time,” as the saying goes. She is the WSISG (What You See Is What You Get) girl in person. She is genuine and touchable. She needs to fool no one.

Check her out at her website on line www.bettemidler.com she’s incredible. I’m glad she found a place in my book. I hope she will inspire You to do what you dream.